Anthony Pettis Vs Clay Guida Odds;

Anthony Pettis – (-170) @ BookMaker.Com
Clay Guida – (+140) @ BookMaker.Com

Anthony Pettis went into his WEC lightweight championship bout with Ben Henderson last December as a 2-1 underdog. The pressure was on as this would be the last fight in WEC history, with the winner earning a shot at the UFC lightweight champion. After four rounds, the judges had the fight tied 2-2, and the winner of the final round would take the fight. With one minute left, Anthony Pettis pulled off one of the greatest highlights in MMA history by jumping off the fence and knocking down Ben Henderson with a flying roundhouse kick to the face to take the final round and the fight. Unfortunately for Pettis, Gray Maynard and Edgar would fight to a draw for the UFC title one month later, and Pettis has elected to take a fight against a top contender opposed to waiting on the sidelines for his title shot.

Clay Guida has always been known as a tough journeyman, however after losing a controversial split decision against Tyson Griffin in 2007, his status as a fan favourite really emerged. Thrilling losses to Diego Sanchez and Roger Huerta only served to add to this reputation, however after getting dominated by Kenny Florian at the end of 2009, many wondered whether Guida would ever become a relevant top contender. Guida has answered those questions emphatically by winning his last three fights, all by finish, including a big win over former #1 lightweight Takanori Gomi in January, where Guida showed off a conservative, but still highly entertaining style. While Pettis is effectively guaranteed a title shot with a win here, the same is not true for Guida, as he would still likely be at least one more win away.

When I describe fighters as flashy, I almost always mean it in a bad way. Anthony Pettis is probably the flashiest striker in all of MMA, and he is going to be the exception to the rule. Pettis doesn’t just throw random techniques out there and hopes they land, rather he effectively sets up these moves, and due to their unconventional nature, they often land. While Guida showed some decent boxing against Takanori Gomi, there is very little doubt that Anthony Pettis has the advantage on the feet.

In terms of wrestling, I think that this will be where the fight gets decided. While Guida has shown a willingness to slug it out in the past, he’s shown in his last three fights that winning has become his number one priority. For that reason, I think he’s going to return to the same gameplan that saw him outpoint Nathan Diaz, by attempting to stick to Pettis for three rounds in an attempt to win a decision.

The onus here is on Pettis. In the past, he’s shown a willingness to play guard, and while I do believe he is a good guard and a good triangle, I don’t think he can submit Guida off of his back. Therefore, Pettis needs to stop the takedown to win this fight, and if he can and force separation, the fight is his. For me, Pettis’ performances in his last two fights against Shane Roller and Ben Henderson have given me enough reason to believe that Pettis will be able to stop Guida’s takedowns, so that he can easily outstrike his opponent. Roller and Henderson are both very big, athletic lightweights, and Pettis was able to shrug off takedowns against both of them. For that reason, I think he does the same thing here, and while I don’t think he scores a flashy highlight reel KO, the prediction is that Anthony Pettis keeps the fight standing and outpoints Clay Guida for the decision.

Conclusion: Anthony Pettis should be able to stop Clay Guida’s takedown attempts, and a small play is recommended at the current odds.

Anthony Pettis Vs Clay Guida Betting Odds;

Anthony Pettis – (-170) @ BookMaker.Com
Clay Guida – (+140) @ BookMaker.Com